Green Tips That Make A Difference

A few small changes that can make a big difference:

Tip 1:
Fix leaky faucets. A faucet that drips once each second can waste over 8 gallons of water per day and more than 3,000 gallons per year. And that's per household!

Tip 2:
Install low-flush toilets. More than 4 billion gallons of water get flushed down the toilet every day in the United States.

Tip 3:
Buy recycled products. Buy toilet paper, paper towels and paper napkins that are made with post-consumer waste. You can find many brands available in your grocery stores, often at comparable prices.

Tip 4:
Reuse. Carry a reusable bag with you for groceries, shopping, and take out food. If you don't have one available, choose paper and recycle it or plastic and reuse it.

Tip 5:
Save energy with your computer.art by turning off your screen saver and cut even more energy that your computer uses by putting it in sleep mode when it isn't in use. Plug electronic equipment into power strips that can be switched off at night or when not in use.

Tip 6:
Clean green. Clean your home with non-toxic, natural cleaning products. Just about anything can be cleaned with white vinegar and baking soda.

Tip 7:
Buy local. Buy locally grown food that is in season. Food that hasn't traveled thousands of miles to reach you is fresher, tastier and drastically cuts down on pollution. Plus, you support your own community and local farmers, cutting down on costs for them too.

Tip 8:
Opt out of junk mail. Save a tree! You can log on to Catalog Choice to put a stop to unwanted catalogs.

Other types of junk mail:
To stop most other types of unsolicitated mail piling up in your mailbox, contact The Direct Marketing Association. It is a "trade association of businesses that advertise their products and services directly to consumers by mail, telephone, magazine, Internet, radio or television," according to its Web site. The DMA maintains a database of consumers who want to curtail unsolicited mail. DMA members must abide by the pledge to take your name off their lists. You can opt out by mail for free, but opting out online will cost you $5. And yes, you will save trees!